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"ETA five minutes!"

"Alright!"

"Make sure you're team's ready to go at touchdown, time is a luxury we don't have!"

The straps of my seat strained as my body was thrown sideways. The chopper was being tossed around in the storm like baseball. How the pilot could even see through the blowing snow, I hadn't the slightest clue.

"How much longer is this supposed to keep up?"

"National weather service says about half an hour. It offers good cover for your insertion though and the wind will cover the sound of the rotors."

I switched to the squad com.

"Secure you're gear. Paws on the ground in three. The storm is offering cover so we should get down without alerting the defenders, but we'll have to move quickly. Red three, what's your six?"

Trestan's voice responded "I'm above the storm. No problems here. By the looks of things, you'll have about ten minutes once you're out before it clears up."

"Alright Red team, bail on my mark."

"Hooa!"

I reached over my head and grabbed my rifle. There was a jolt as the chopper's skids hit ice. The side door flew open.

"Now!"

I dove out of the door and ran, doubled over across the tundra. The second I was out, the pilot increased power and lifted back off the ground. I watched for the few seconds I could see the craft until it disappeared. I looked around to check the squad. Four of us were on the ground. Trestan was already high above the compound. Tank handed me one side of a tether and I took it. When I was sure everyone was ready, we set off towards the rise I had marked earlier as our point of assault.

I checked my compass regularly and Trestan gave us updates every five minutes. All too soon, the wind died. This region had wind storms which would blow for hours and then suddenly die. We had wanted to use the storm as cover for the whole operation, but it was going to end too soon, and we didn't have time to wait for another.

I handed the tether back to Tank. We wouldn't need it any more. I checked the squad. We had donned white uniforms for this operation rather than the usual black. I had chosen a light gillie suit as it was my job to provide sniper support while the other three infiltrated the base, and Jessica retrieved the data the government wanted.

We ran lightly across the ground passing patches of dirt, and drifts three feet high. No sound came from us as we quickly covered the remaining distance. Soon we were on the back side of the small hill, prone to limit our visible profile until we knew what was in front of us. I un-slung my rifle from my back. I removed the lens covers from the scope, and attached a filter to the front which would eliminate any possible glare which may give away my position.

My eyes took in the landscape in front of us. The drifts ran across the line between our position and the fortress. They would provide good cover for the assault team, but may slow them down when they leave. I raised my field of vision and studied the wall. There were towers at each corner, as well as two along each side. Their defenses shouldn't be too difficult.

"Red Two, what do you see?"

"Eight towers, four guards along the wall, and three at the gate, two patrolling the courtyard, and two outside the room we believe to have the computer. Now is as good a time as ever to move in by my eyes."

"Alright. You ready guys?"

"Hooa."

They began to pick their way forward. I set up just below the crest of the hill where I could have the least amount of exposure. I pressed the tab on my suit and the base layer contracted. The tension helped stabilize my body and reduce excess muscle movement. I folded out the bipod and set the rifle on a patch of dirt.

"Red One, if you could take out the gaud tower at the far corner, it may create a distraction, allowing blue team to get to the wall."

I looked for what Trestan was talking about and saw. The defenders wouldn't know where the shots were coming from, so if I shot the guards across the compound first, it may draw attention away from the insertion team. I calibrated the range finder that was attached next to the barrel. The readout appeared on my glasses' HUD.I noted all of the targets I would be hitting on a note pad and ranked their threat level.

"Roger that Red Two. I have my target pattern planned. Blue team, you're about half a click out. At three quarters, I'll begin shooting."

"Copy. We'll wait for the all clear before beginning the climb."

I scoped down the rifle and looked at my first target. He was an arctic fox with a small tuft of black hair. He was looking across the plane in front of him, completely oblivious to the fact he was about to die. Would he feel anything? Probably not. Hopefully he had not offended the gods, because soon he would be facing his judgment.

"Alright, much closer and they'll be spotted."

I brought my cross hairs onto his head. I looked over my rifle at the flag hanging above the gate. I barely fluttered. Time stood still for a second. My finger tightened and the firing pin struck the cartridge. There was a soft pft as the bullet left the muzzle and began its deadly flight. I heard the distant sound of breaking glass and watched as the fox collapsed the window in front of him splattered with blood.

"Hit."

My hands shook a little. One I thought to myself. That was the first sentient being I had ever killed. Then the mission took over and I didn't have time to think of such matters. Soon the guards on the near side of the wall were down as well. Trestan's plan had worked and Blue Team was preparing to scale the wall. I saw a sniper franticly scanning the horizon, trying to see the shooter. I reloaded the rifle and sighted in on him. As he too fell, I thought how much I loved this gun. It seemed to react to my thoughts, rather than my actions. The bolt slid open and closed at the lightest touch of my finger, a smoldering casing spinning to the ground. I picked off the remaining guards stupid enough to show themselves.

Trestan must have already given the all clear because, when I checked on Blue team, Tank was already at the top of the wall. My work was done until they came back out. Now, it was up to them to get in and Jessica to retrieve the data. I listened to their communications as I continued to search for targets.

"Blue Three, take point."

"Dropping in. Clear."

"Move up. Check your corners."

"Clear."

"Stay tight to that wall. What was that?"

"Contact right."

I heard a burst of gunfire.

"Contact down."

"Check the rest of the room."

"Clear."

"Blue One to Red One."

"This is Red One, go ahead."

"We've located the data center. Blue Two is beginning the hack."

"Alright, cover her. Blue Two, how long is this going to take?"

"Give me ten minutes."

I waited, a light breeze passed over me. The fur on my neck was on end. Mission nerves were getting to me again. It wasn't the waiting. I could wait for days just to make the right shot that would change the course of history. It was something else.

"Blue team, you have something closing in on your position form the south."

"Contact, four man fire team."

I listened to the erratic automatic weapon fire, broken by the controlled bursts of Tank and Teague. Soon it died down.

"Clear."

"Red Two, what do you see from up there? They don't need any trouble like that."

"I don't see anything but, those walls are thick, so if there are rooms in them, I wouldn't be able to tell. I'll keep an eye out."

"Blue Two, how much longer?"

"A couple of minutes."

"Ghost Rider, this is Red One."

"Go ahead Red One."

"Requesting pick up in ten."

"Roger that Red One. Be warned, possible hostile force approaching from the South, your ride will be at extract Bravo."

"Copy, Red One out. Red Two, what do you se to the south?"

"Picking up traces of a small group of vehicles approaching fast. I'd say above 100 miles per hour. Looks like five jeeps, two trucks."

"Thanks, warn me when they're five miles out. Blue Team, we have hostles moving in. Get out of there."

"Transfer complete, beginning our exit."

I scanned the top of the wall. Movement. I looked in that direction. There was a rifle poking over a broken crate. I scoped in to see a husky looking down the sights and getting dangerously close to spotting me. I adjusted my aim and brought to bear on the small part of him that was visible. I squeezed the trigger and the side of his head next to the scope disappeared as the .50 BT round hit.

"We're out, moving to your position."

"Those cars are getting pretty close."

"Blue team, get moving, we don't have much time."

I removed the suppressor from my rifle and reattached the muzzle break. I began lining up a possible extreme range shot at the incoming vehicles. I pulled out an FMJ clip and slid it in.

"Move to point B under my cover."

"Hostiles at two miles and closing. Get out of there!"

I lined up on one of the trucks, quickly compensating for the speed. The rifle barked as I fired. I worked the bolt and sighted in on the second truck before the first round hit. The bullet penetrated the light metal of the vehicles body, passing through the engine housing, severing connections and tearing into the mechanics effectively disabling the vehicle. I fired the second round with similar results. I watched as the truck flipped, taking out one of the jeeps next to it.

The attackers began to slow and I could start aiming for softer targets. I panned in time with one of the diver's heads. I pulled the trigger. He collapsed over the steering column. I saw one of the passengers begin to scream before they ran headlong into a boulder, the jeep exploding on impact.

"We don't have much time. Get the hell out of there Red One!"

I assessed the situation in front of me. There was the smoldering wreckage of three vehicles and one disabled well out of support range. The three remaining jeeps were disoriented but moving towards my position. Did they know where the rest of the team was too the north, or were they just driving to where they had seen my muzzle flash. We had to get that data out of here safely.

"Get out of there Kirian!"

I grabbed my rifle and ran. The cold air rushed through my fur as I flew to where the rest of the squad was.

"Insertion team, this is Charlie two ten. I'm approaching your coordinates for pickup."

"It's good to see you ma'am!"

I looked up to see a black speck in the sky growing closer.

"Kirian, over here!"

I turned and saw Blue Team hunkered down behind a large bolder for cover. I dove behind the rock and crept to one side. The three vehicles were right on top at us. They stopped and the rebels inside got out and opened fire on our position. I heard bullets whizzing past our position and the smell of powdered stone filled my nostrils.

"Charlie Two Ten, we are taking enemy fire. Request immediate pick up."

"I'm coming as fast as I can."

"Screw this! Tank, you got a spare launcher?"

He tossed me an automatic rifle with attached grenade launcher. I spun from behind the rock and lobed one of the explosives at the attackers. It hit a jeep, the resulting blast consuming the vehicle as well as three nearby enemies.

"Good shot."

Tank had also opened fire from the other side. I saw a pair of wolfs fall under his precise stream of bullets. I detached the scope from my rifle and flipped a switch witch released small electronic sight from the stock. It synced with the HUD in my glasses and a small reticule appeared. The sound of rotors grew to a defining level.

"Alright, hop on in and let's get out of here."

I turned to see the chopper, parked below the ridgeline for cover. Unfortunately there was about a thirty yard sprint across the open space right in front of the enemy line of fire.

"Teague, go with Jessica. Tank and I will cover you. Go!"

I rolled out of cover and opened fire on the remaining rebel force. The recoil of the 50 caliber rounds slammed my shoulder by it was nothing compared to the lizard who just had his vitals ripped out from my shot. The others took cover from our onslaught.

"Alright, we're good."

"Trestan, help me cover Tank. Go!"

Tank's body exploded from behind the bolder as once again, I turned and fired. My first shot caught a bear in the leg, bringing him to the ground. I turned my sights to a ferocious looking tiger who was pointing a gun as tank. My bullet passed through his neck, cleanly severing his head from his shoulders.

"Clear! Kirian, I'll cover you."

I took a deep breath and sprinted as I had never done before. My claws dug into the ground as I flew forward. An explosion which hit the boulder I had just been behind threw me forward but I managed to keep my paws beneath me. Ten more feet. Pain shot through my side and my right leg ceased to work. I hit the ground hard, my head slamming into the ice.

"Kirian!"

I turned and saw red on my leg. That's weird, I distinctly remember wearing white this morning. Why did everything have to be so loud? I already have a headache. I turned down the small slope. Two of the last rebels were torn apart beneath a hail of bullets. I un-slung my rifle. Why was everything so dark?

"Kirian!"

Please stop yelling. I aimed in on the final standing figure. I'm really tired, I should take a nap. The sights moved uncontrollably around his head. I took a deep breath and steadied myself. If only the noise would stop and my eyes would work properly. I pulled the trigger and the dark silhouette in front of me collapsed, and the world went black.